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On behalf of our Society and members of the Banaban Communities in Fiji and Kiribati, we are calling on the generosity and support of Business Corporations to assist us in our endeavours to run the HOMECOMING TRIP 1997 this July. This epic journey is of great historical importance, and will bring Society members from all around the world and Banabans living on Rabi Island together to hold an International Conference/Workshop on the beloved homeland - Banaba Island. The island is now considered one of the remotest islands in the world today, and we are chartering our own vessel to take key people across to Banaba, including various Government officials, and Scientists, Health Professionals etc, to see first hand the situation the Banabans have been left in with the virtual devastation of their island from 80 years of phosphate mining.

Our month long voyage will begin with members flying in from around the world to board our charter vessel in Suva, Fiji and hen travel north towards the Equator to the Banaban’s island home situated 240 nautical miles from Tarawa, in the Central Pacific. We will be stopping over at other Pacific Islands, Tuvalu and Kiribati on our journey. We have TV crews booked to cover the event from ‘60 Minutes’ Channel 9 Australia, who have already aired a story on my work with the Banaban Community back in 1993. They will be producing another ‘60 Minutes’ segment as a follow on to our first story, and a TV documentary for broadcast through out Australia and world wide syndication. 60 Minute presenter - Charles Wooley is also one of our Society’s Patrons. A crew from London’s BBC Open University Learning production team will also join us, and possibly a separate documentary unit from BBC as well, who also made a story on the Banabans in 1975. Our proposed trip has already made the news in various Pacific publications, and has been broadcast via Radio Australia to the Pacific. We have just completed work with Japanese Production Company - Pink Noise Inc. on the making of a TV documentary all about the Banabans which aired on NHK Television on Monday 5th. May, and we are hoping that another Japanese TV Crew will join us for this special event. We have a Journalist from one of Tokyo's major newspapers joining our ship to cover the event.

At this stage we are eager for appropriate types of sponsorship to make our voyage a reality. We are also trying to coordinate our annual Aid Shipment to Rabi Island in Fiji, and take in our first Aid Shipment to Banaba aboard our vessel. To achieve this we will need to fly our freight into Suva to meet up with our vessel. We have a financial deadline of the 1st. June, to raise $87,000 for the charter of our vessel the "MV KATAKI 1", and to assist in the additional purchase of food and provisions for the sea voyage, and the 7 day period whilst on Banaba. Our participants have already raised nearly $75,000 for the trip, and we have allocated half of our tickets to Banabans living on Rabi island at a greatly subsided fare as they are such a poor community. We were also hoping to sponsor 25 Banaban dancers from Rabi Island to come on the trip, and provide entertainment whilst at sea. They will also officially perform traditional Banaban ‘Welcoming’ and ‘Farewell’ ceremonies at our ports of call. To achieve this we need to find sponsorship of $7,500 to offset the cost of the groups passage against the overall cost of the ships charter.

We are also looking for those Companies or Organisation who would like to sponsor the event by sending a representative or delegation to our Banaba Conference. This will be a great opportunity to meet with others interested in bettering the future of the Banaban people and their homeland, and to actually meet with Rabi Council officials and other Government officials. Maybe your organisation is interested in conducting scientific research or feasibility studies, and the rare opportunity to visit Banaba and see the actual state Banaba has been left in today.

Maybe your Company can help sponsor our trip with food or other provisions we will need for the full 4 weeks at sea.

We are happy to acknowledge your Corporate sponsorship by displaying Company or Corporation Logos or marketing materials aboard our Charter vessel, and during our Conference whilst on Banaba. The HOMECOMING trip is a great opportunity to market your company throughout the Australasian region while at the same time getting behind a very worthy project.

We look forward to hearing from you in the near future, and have your Company or Organisation’s involvement in our project.